Alone Together (Jasper Hale)

01: Remembered.

Alone Together

Name: Sage Bradshaw
Age: 19
Born: April 17th, 1915
Died: September 2nd, 1934
C.o.d.: Unknown

1979.

The images of that fateful night flashed back into my mind. My body writhed in agony on the wet, muddy grass. I thought I had been left for dead. I thought that I had been dying at the time. It was like each cell in my body was lit up with eternal flames. It was like being thrown alive in a vat of acid. But no words could truly describe or compare what it truly felt like. And my heart had went out for anyone else who ever felt the pain I had.  It happened decades ago but some nights were harder than others. My mind would always wander to that wretched evening.

"Hello mother." My ice cold hand was wrapped in a leather glove to prevent from direct skin contact. My mother was now an old, feeble being. I caressed her hand as she lay in bed, her eyes stared into mine. They used to be green and so full of life. Now they were dim. It neared the end of her days. My mother had forgotten that I had died. Every day it was like a reset button went off. My mother had been victim to Alzheimer's. There were a few benefitting factors to this, I didn't have to tell her why I stopped aging.  I didn't have to worry about her ratting my true identity out. But most importantly; she would've forgotten about the death of her only daughter. No one ever found me but they presumed I had been dead. "How are you today?"

"I'm good sweetie!" The conversations usually went the same. It never strayed too far from the usual, how was school, did you do the homework, and how's your auntie and cousins. I would take this over the grieving I had to witness when I couldn't exactly be there for her. When I was finally able to control myself after a couple months, I went to visit my mother. She had still been grieving over the death of me. "How are you?" She asked with wary eyes and a wrinkled smile. I replied that I was fine too. "I think, I want to go for a walk today." I was taken aback. This was different. She would've followed with how school was and if I saw Auntie Jean before I came by. That had been her sister who died two decades ago.

"Mom are you sure?" I asked quizzically. I leaned back on my seat and shared a look with the nurse. Nurse Matthews had thrown me a sympathetic look. She knew her day was coming soon. Which meant she would allow it. It amazed everyone she had even lived to be the age of 84. She disappeared for a brief moment before she returned with a wheelchair.

Feeble being.

I questioned why I never turned her when I had the chance to, when I saw her all those years ago after I turned. But I knew deep down I would not want my mother to have experienced this. I wouldn't want her to live this forsaken life. I pushed her around the outskirts of the hospital with ease. I listened to her fragile voice talk of how beautiful the weather was and how it reminded her of my 19th birthday. She said the air felt like it did when I turned nineteen. I stared at my mom and asked how she remembered that. For the past couple months it had been the same conversation. It was rare she brought up things she actually remembered. Only bits and pieces, sometimes brought up my father. But this was all too specific. What was happening?

"Mother are you feeling alright?" I asked her the moment we had laid her back down on the bed. She had rambled on about her favorite memories. How she met dad and when he asked to marry her. Their wedding day then my birth. I wish I had him for longer. But he had died awhile ago due to natural sickness. He had left us with large amounts of money from the business that kept going. My first of everything; steps, words, defiance, and all. I couldn't bare to ask if she was okay when she rambled on. It was nice to remember all of it with her. It was nice that she was back for just a moment. Her eyes were locked on her hands. She examined them front to back and a wry frown etched on her face.

"My you haven't aged one bit darling." Her soft hand landed on my stone face. If I could cry, the tears would've cascaded down my cheeks. "What happened to you dear." Now both hands cupped my cheeks and I wanted to so badly cry and tell her. But I couldn't. Not around these people, not before she went. "Come here baby girl." I hadn't heard her call me that in forever and I ever so lightly let myself get cradled in her arms. "I love you so much Sage." My emotions swirled in my chest. It had to be an epiphany. Her heartbeat was grew fainter by the second. I whispered I loved her so much, forever. "And always." She whispered her last words. Her arms became limp and dropped their embrace. I held her tightly once more and sniffles. That's all I could do was sniffle. I hysterically sobbed but no tears would come out. She was gone. The nurses rushed by to her side the moment the heart monitor line went flat and they heard my sobs.